The implications of Soren's words were staggering.

But that was not all. It was a perspective the persecution had not anticipated.

It was a perspective that no one had anticipated. Not even Devon.

However, the lawyer leaned in. Both in interest of Soren's next words and their implication.

"What are you saying?" The prosecutor smirked again, trying to make light of the situation. "Are you saying that you have evidence that Instructor Marcus intended to kill the cadets even before the attack was made?"

"No."

"Then someone told you? Surely it was not any of the other cadets or instructors. They would have reported the matter. So who was it?" She chuckled, "Your... Shade?"

"Yes," Soren replied.

"Lie," Lema echoed.

Soren rolled his head in annoyance, turning towards Lema, eyes spitting his challenge.

"But it did. It showed me. I saw it with my own eyes. Instructor Marcus butchering the cadets. Carving out the insides of every one of them. But not just him."

Soren's gaze moved to the prosecutor. "I saw her too. I saw Instructor Ivory smash Polystar's head against a wall; his blood and brain turned to paste."

He pointed to his chest. "I SAW IT."

~Silence

Soren let the words linger in the air.

The challenge none could refute.

However, Lema hesitated, her eyes focused on Soren—filled with disbelief. But she could see it.

"Truth."

Again, the crowd was stirred. This time around, it was not just them; the council members were conversing with one another.

Soren smirked.

The prosecutor's smile slipped.

Soren saw Boyed in the back lean forward. This time around, he had no idea what the man's body language meant.

On the other hand, Devon gave a thumbs up. It was obvious that he had not expected such a move from Soren.

What he did not know was that right now, Soren's mind was turning fast for information.

After all, he had just let a bit of the knowledge of his power slip.

Soren had seen how the courtroom reacted when he made that statement about the god of the Neuralink.

No doubt, anything that had to do with Soul Mechas was considered sacred to these people.

And Soren had figured out how to grab their favor.

Of course, it was the most sacred thing of all—the reason for Soul Mechas.

Shades.

"Cough... Cadet Soren," the council head called. "Are you saying that your Shade showed you the future?"

Soren turned to him. "My Shade is the reason I knew about Lady Vera's death that was avoided. The reason Lady Quiet has not gone... quiet."

"Truth."

Gasps rang out, followed by low whispers.

Soren could tell. Things had flipped in his favor.

Of course, he had to be very picky about his choice of words.

If he told them that he could loop as a result of his death, things would take a different turn.

Also, after his continuous achievements, Soren was starting to see the value in information.

He did not give them the full gist of the matter.

But just enough.

He gave them just enough to question themselves.

Just enough to fill in the gaps with their own narration of the truth.

Soren's head turned. He could tell. The ball was now in his court. Even more, he could feel their desire to understand.

But he was not going to give it to them. The remaining would be in his arsenal.

After all...

Fear comes from what one cannot understand, and what one cannot understand because of fear, one respects.

Prison taught him this lesson.

The prosecutor, being the one asking the questions, could not hold herself back.

"Cadet Soren, this thing you have to, shall I say... see the future. Is ityour ability?"

Soren sighed as he shook his head. "Honestly, it is not."

Once more, eyes turned to Lema for confirmation.

"Truth."

Soren could almost hear their hearts sink in disappointment.

He knew why.

The Empire had just fought the fifth generational war a while ago. While Shades are ranked according to their destructive power, it does not mean that Shades that had less destructive power were not useful.

For example, everyone here thought that Soren had the power of foresight. If he did, then such an ability would be a great asset to the war effort.

Thousands of lives and war efforts could be saved.

This alone had the potential to be the Empire's greatest asset.

Naturally, even the council members recognized this.

However, things were starting to counter each other.

Was Soren capable of foresight or not?

Soren could feel their inquisitive gaze on him.

Fortunately, Soren had paid attention when Polystar was having that battle of values against Goldsworth in class.

"Seeing the future is not the ability my shade grants me." Soren began. "I am just a low F-rank... trash." He shrouded.

"However, I have heard from a friend of mine, Pill Polystar, about the mysteries of Shades..."

The moment Polystar's name was mentioned, validity attached itself to whatever nonsense Soren was going to spit.

After all, they were a reputable noble family of Shade sympathizers.

"...He told me that Shades have a will of their own and will do whatever it takes to not only ensure their survival but also our own. They are refugees in our world."

Many nodded at those words. Of course some disagreed.

But it was not a problem.

Tommy had said that nobles were divided by ideology and status.

Ideology revolved majorly around the perception of what Shades were—tools or friends.

Honestly, Soren could not be bothered by what they believed.

But if he could separate them by ideology, then he would not become the common enemy.

Meaning that he would have provided answers for their questions without giving away anything, and he would have pitted these people against one another.

And of course it worked.

After all, Soren had piloted a Soul mecha without a teacher and then killed an Eldritch soul a day after bonding with a Shade.

But to top it all, he had saved Vera.

All of a sudden, his exceptionality was no longer his doing. It was all the doing of the mysterious Shade.

Devon smiled.

This round, they won.

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